Baptism And Tongues

I have two questions – my first question – is their a language also called “speaking in tongues” (not to be confused with “speaking in different kinds of tongues” for interpretation) that God gives us to use during worship and private prayer? Jude 20; 1 Cor.14:4.

My second question is – Over the years I’ve heard people from different denominations debate on how a person should be baptized. One denomination says that one should be baptized in “Jesus Name”, while another denomination says that one should be baptized “In the Name of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost”. Is there scripture in the Bible to
support that a person should be baptized in “Jesus Name”? and being baptized in “Jesus Name” is the only way a person will receive the gift of speaking in tongues?

A

Your two references speak of different things. 1 Cor 14:4 is about the Biblical speaking in tongues where a believer speaks in a language he hasn’t learned and another believer interprets it. This lack of knowledge of the language used indicates that the message is from God. The fact that two people are involved prevents a person from making something up and then giving a false message to the church. Paul warned that if there wasn’t anyone available to give the interpretation, then the speaker should remain quiet. (1 Cor. 14:28)

These days in parts of the church the act of praying in the Spirit mentioned in 1 Cor 14:15 and Jude 20 is done in a “prayer language.” in fact most of what passes for speaking in tongues is really the manifestation of this prayer language. There’s often no attempt to either control it or interpret it, something Paul taught against as being confusing and disorderly.

Where baptism is concerned, in Matt 28:19 the Lord said the following. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” There is no Biblical support for the idea that the use of either phrase during baptism will necessarily bring the gift of tongues, since 1 Cor. 12:11 says that Spiritual gifts are distributed to each believer as the Holy Spirit determines, and Paul spends several verses thereafter explaining how silly it would be if everyone got the same gift.

The instances in Acts where the gift of tongues accompanied baptism were specific to those occasions to demonstrate to the Jewish believers that the Holy Spirit was being given to Gentiles as well and are not meant to have general application. In Acts 8:16 it was the despised Samaritans who received the Holy Spirit, in Acts 10:44 it was a group of Gentiles at the home of Cornelius, and in Acts 19:6 it was 12 men from Ephesus, and only some spoke in tongues while others prophesied.

The demand by some organizations that their members manifest the gift of tongues as proof of their relationship with God is an invention of man’s. Instead of improperly requiring that we all demonstrate the same gift, the church ought instead to be helping us determine what gift we’ve been given and how best to use it.

About Grace thru Faith

Jack Kelley published over 9,000 Bible Study resources here from 1999, until the Lord called him home in the fall of 2015. His teachings made the Bible clear and easy to understand, and impacted millions of lives. He is the author of all the teachings here, and all materials are available free of charge! His wife Samantha maintains this site as well as their missionary outreaches.